Early days
by dgharron
Summary: This is a riff on a scene i wanted to see more of when she was starting at school and in the house. I stopped it a what felt like a natural break. I always watched the show and wondered about how radically her hair and clothes changed, i thought there might be a good story in that. The point of view shifts in and out of different people's head. I hope that's not too jarring.
1. Chapter 1

Timothy sat on the edge of the desk his legs swinging up and down, looking at the the two kids trying to do anything with their pens but use them to put words to paper. He watched them sticking the pens in their mouths, tapping on the table. Just to pass the time, the teacher imagined a cartoon of Wyatt all flaming red hair and freckles, with a pen sticking out of his ear or balancing on his nose. "too bad I can't draw, " he thought.

This was the first year he had the boy in his class. He scrolled through what he knew, single mom, sort of the sensitive artist type, he recalled that the youth had made a bit of a stir in the art department with an acrylic of the night sky, garnering an honorable mention in some rather ritzy art contest.

Out of the corner of his eye he tried to study Callie. She was intently staring at her desk tapping her book with her pen. So much for trying to be discrete he thought, he doubted she would have known he was there if he was jumping up and down while wearing a clown suit.

The pen tapping continued and Wyatt even started a counter beat with his pen syncopated to Callie's . This is nuts Timothy thought, we've been here 20 minutes and nothing is happening. "Look you are going to write something"...He paused trying to think of something worth saying.. .." Anger can be great put it on paper its got passion,"

He looked directly at Callie, but she had her head down staring at her pen. The school's vice principle, his boss, Lena had told him that they were taking-in both the girl and her younger brother for an indefinite period. That must be 5 kids now, he thought. I can barely take care of myself.

Lena hadn't said much just that Callie was a foster kid that had had a rough time. The girl, herself, didn't give much a way either. Who could blame her, kicking around from home to home. He recalled the story of the girl taking a bus down to San Ysidro to invade this crazy guy's home in order to join up with her brother. Definitely willing to put it on the line, he concluded, and she's got a big heart somewhere in there.

It gave him an idea, "You know, " he reflected, "it take a lot of courage to write, courage to think your thoughts are worth putting down on paper, but from what I know of you Callie," calling her out, "Your not lacking courage." He thought he saw her redden, but he continued.

"I need you two, to show me some courage, what are you afraid of write the worst thing that comes to mind, Something that makes you angry, and sad or guilty. Makes you feel something. If it has passion in its worth reading"

10 minutes later, She and Wyatt were out of the class with walking orders to come back with something tomorrow. As they were leaving, barely out of the door Wyatt turned to Callie "What was that about."

Callie didn't say anything, she just wanted to get to the house and maybe sit out in the back yard. The house wasn't exactly comfortable, but it was relatively safe. The thought made her smile as she laughed at her self, thinking "That's me, full of courage!"

But the boy thought the smile was meant for him " I mean what did you do? take on a bunch of knife wielding thieves.. He smiled and dead panned "I am planning a trip to mexico ….to buy hashish, can I count on you as my protection." She laughed, "Oh yeah" and then seriously, " I think he was just trying to be nice, you know relevant. "

Wyatt backed-up in mock astonishment, " She speaks," Callie looked at him, a little angry, "

"No offense...I got my car, let me give you a ride, you won't have to talk, promise" Callie smiled this time for real.

"Sure."

On his own, later that night, Wyatt reflected on the day, the smile could have been a shooting star he thought, quick , bright, and if he had blinked, he would have missed it.

Courage Callie thought, that's one way to describe living with complete strangers, god knows some mornings it took everything she could muster to just get out of bed. The house was still terribly new and it could be overwhelming. There was too much going on , too many personalities bouncing off the bright walls all covered with personal photos and memento's of happy times and places.

It was a bit of a three ring circus, really. Lena the artsy earth mother, her butch wife Stef, a cop, who walks into the house with a gun and night stick. And the kids they just automatically seemed to expect good things to happen, which was probably sensible because for them, more often than not, everything ended well. Hell, Callie thought, in what other world would she have been able to get Jude out of that house in one day, with no real repercussions on her. Without Stef there, she reasoned, she would have likely ended-up in Juvie, or even shot.

She grabbed the guitar from her room, and headed out back behind a thick pine that could screen her from the kitchen window.

Lena, however, came and sat by her side.

"Hey Callie, were going to give Jude a lot of hand me downs from Branden and Jesus, " you don't think he'll mind do you."

"Oh, he's easy about clothes," Lena. "I can't imagine hell complain"

Lena started to continue and Callie realized this really wasn't about Jude,

"We don't have anything for you. Mariana is tiny and both stef and I are couple of inches taller than you. 'So,"... And Callie saw what she had begun to think of as Lena's 'concerned educator look'- a quiet call to for an action.

Callie , however, refused the offer to speak, and after a brief silence Lena added

"I think we need to go shopping,"

"Thanks Lena, i'll hit-up my trust fund."

"There is money from the state Callie, and I'm sure we can add stuff to the budget,"

She paused. " I have to buy some clothes for myself, maybe you and I could go this weekend.

" Really Lena, thank you, but i don't really shop much,"

"Honey you can't wash clothes every nigh, so, I think you have to bite the bullet and spend some time."

"Well i'm use to shopping on my own."

Lena paused...gently, "I'd like to buy you something, you can shop on your own too, but I like to help you pick out a few things...The state money is one thing, but this would be my treat."

Callie look down, this friggin family, she thought, and smiled, the good daughter.  
"Okay, its a date."

In the car the next morning Lena said, "you're okay with consignment stores for jeans and blouses?" Callie shrugged.

Lena continued, " a friend has a nice shop in the old town, I always like to go there first."

"i'm not much with clothes Lena, "

"Well lets just take a look."

They drove for a while in silence and Lena tried to edge around to the night Callie took off after Jude.

" You know we only grounded Brandon because mike was so adamant. I don't disagree with them, really, running off like that was wrong, but all in all, given the situation we were going to let it go,"

Callie looked at Lena,her lips pursed " That guy beat Jude, for wearing a dress Lena, how is that ok, Jude couldn't stay there,".

Lena paused a while and then said quietly " I know and we want to help Callie, that's what we're here for, you don't have to be alone in this. Stuff like that we can make things easier"

Callie, didn't say anything, watching the angry thoughts roll around in her head not seeing any good that could come from the conversation.

"its not so simple" Callie said softly under her breath.

" Yeah it isn't simple" Lena agreed grasping at a straw or a hint of something, and it worked like a key turning in a lock.

"Who am I suppose to go to?Would you have listened, really and what if you or stef had said no. What then? Its not like the cops gave a damn they just arrested me. I got a week in Juvie, for what?, and its my record that's screwed, I got a felony Lena, because that asshole beat a 12 year old boy."

She turned toward Lena, "Really, Would you have believed me, I mean it wasn't like you were jumping up and down to help at Juvie," she said.

With the anger came tears. Just the thought of the Prison made her give a sharp intake of breath, she said accusingly. "I was sleeping on your couch, for god sake, Why? wasn't there room under the stairs," She was quiet for a while...Anyways its not like you needed another boy, i mean its not like this loads of fun for you."

They drove in silence. Lena focusing on the road and her breath, as the girl raged.

But Callie calm now said something she knew to her core, "Everyone looks out for themselves you know that Lena. In what Universe is it in your interest to help Jude, I mean If Mariana"...Callie stopped mid-sentence .

"Mariana?" Lena prodded.

Callie paused for a while gathering her thoughts, cursing herself trying to backtrack, "Lena, please, you and Steph are wonderful and i'm thankful for all you done for us. I shouldn't have let Brandon come along. It was wrong of me and I'm sorry i won't do that again"

Lena drove on, not knowing how to respond, the words were all right but the tone sounded almost robotic, well she thought, ruefully,"at least the girl is a terrible liar."

A little while later Lena heard a weary voice, that was so full of sorrow it pained her.. " None of you deserve this Lena," Lena glanced at the youth, and thought to herself, this girl may be made of sugar and spice, but its mixed in with a bucket of tears.. She looked back at the road. And said and truly meant. "Don't worry, girl, whatever you and Jude bring we're going to handle it, and , trust me, if need be will come back for more."

Lena passed the store didn't see an easy parking spot, and still rattled by the conversation she cruised on. She turned to Callie. "Can I drag you over to the pier, maybe walk on the beach a bit. It always makes me feel good."

Callie nodded and leaned her head against the window., feeling the cool glass against her face. They parked and started to walk, the movement and fresh sea smells and limitless sky, was a welcome break and as they walked she took Callie's hand

"Prison must have been awful". Lena said.

Callie scoffed "Juvie's not prison, but it wasn't a high point of my life. .

" I can imagine, But, I guess it hasn't been easy."

Callie, stopped bent down and picked up a smooth rock. She threw it at the water,watching it disappear without making a ripple in the waves.

"I don't know..., some of the families were'n't cool, but I've been able to pretty much keep myself out of trouble. It's not like I've had to run with gangs. I mean you sort of keep your head down , right." Callie looked at her with a sardonic smile.

Lena had no idea where the conversation was heading so just repeated the last words, to keep the flow.

"Head down, huh."

"Well yeah, I mean, if they don't see you they can't hurt, you."

They walked on for a bit, Lena wondering, not for the first time, if she was in way over her head with this girl But She turned toward Callie, looking at her, standing on a beautiful beach, it wasn't hard to see a healthy cleared eye girl, a young woman, really ,with her whole life ahead of her. The thought lifted her spirits, making her feel light and peaceful, like a small boat rising on a swell.

"Well my dear, "Lena smiled. "That's why we're gonna get you some colorful clothes, cause in this family, and that includes you, we hold our heads high. Callie, I am descended from Queens, and that make you a princess." She dropped the girl's hand, draped her arm over her shoulder. And started to pull her away from the beach..."to the store." she laughed, pointing forward with her free hand.

From the beach they walked the half mile or so into town. As they walked Lena saw the girl glance at her from time to time, It made Lena smile, she felt good walking in her city, where she had made a life with a home, a family, a partner. She loved being a mom and having kids to show and give things to, and this girl, who seemed to simultaneously ache to belong while being desperate to keep everyone at arms length touched her deeply. She expected so little from the world, but she hadn't fully closed off, yet. there was hope. She saw Callie glance at her again and so she looked at her and smiled. The girl reddened and then blurted out, "Are you really descended from Queens". Lena looked at her, Raised and eyebrow." Wait till you meet Gram, princess."


	2. Chapter 2

Lena pointed down a small side street and said that's our destination. She loved the shop, filled with curios and old theater props and posters, but most of all she loved the proprietor. She was different then Lena, short and with Buck teeth, a Brooklyn girl through and through, where as Lena was tall and elegant and had spent her life in Southern California. She reminded Lena a bit of Steph, tough and assertive, but with a big big heart. She was someone who wanted both to take on and to take care of the whole damn world.

"Here we are Callie, this is where I always start looking for clothes,its small but friendly."

The woman at the counter, got off the phone as soon as Lena and Callie entered, and hurried over. "Leeenah, great to see you," she said. There was a yellow measuring tape draped round her neck.

Lena gave the small woman a hug, and rubbed her shoulder, "Good to see you. Still keeping busy?"

"Oh yeah."

Lena turned to Callie.

" Callie, this is Professor McMillan."

The woman snorted, and looked at Callie. " Educators they are always impressed by titles and degrees."

" Professor," Lena said, almost admonishing the woman.

"Callie is," she paused, not sure how Callie wanted to be introduced, "staying with us and she is going to Anchor Beach."

"Good School," the woman said. "Do you like it?"

" So far, I have been there only a few days," said Callie.

"Lena, continued, "She could use some clothes" she smiled at Callie, "We need some everyday stuff but some nice stuff too."

"Just a few things really." Callie said, wondering what was wrong with her clothes.

The woman stepped in.

"Callie, let me give you a tour, I'm Beatrice, " she extended her hand "everyone calls me Bea. "

She grabbed Callie by the shoulder and physically walked her toward the back of the store. As she got to the rack the woman turned to her.

"Now there is a lot of crap here, but there are some real gems if you know what you're looking for."

The woman started quickly thumbing through the rack of clothes.

"New to San Diego?"

"I've been here all my life, " Callie said, contradicting her.

"Your looking for casual stuff."

Callie shrugged.

As the woman spoke, her hand flipped through a rack and separated out a pair of gray jeans. Without stopping or commenting, she scrolled through the rack, like someone flipping the pages of a book.

" Bea, its nice of you to help, but I'll be fine on my own."

"It will just take a second, doll."

The woman continued trying to make conversation.

" I've known Lena and Steph for years, She always takes the other kids here too. I got Brandon that suit he wears to perform, Black Label YSL- for about $100," Bea said.

"Great," Callie said just wanting the woman to leave her to shop. "I'm not going to be doing anything like that." she added.

The woman just rolled on, "Steph blows me away."

Callie looked at her, surprised to hear her talk about Lena's partner.

"Think about it. She's a woman cop, which can't be easy, right? All these louts running around with guns beating up criminals. And here is this little Blondie, who is not only mixing it up with the big boys, but, after marrying one of them, she ditches the guy for a lady. Never missed a day of work in the process. God she must of taken a lot of grief for that." She paused and gave Callie a searching look.

"Do you think you could ever love someone hard like that? Just blows me away whenever I think about it. Good cop too! Not a mean bone in her body."

"Here you go, tries these on. A few pants and blouses and a dress that I think should work well with those Bambi eyes of yours. "The dress is from a good Italian house, but the label has been torn off."

In the dressing room, Callie sat down on the bench and looked at herself in the mirror, she saw the reflection of the clothes piled next to her, none of which she had chosen. "Better than hand me downs, I guess." She wished she could be like Jude, and just roll with it. But it was so frustrating. And besides, most of the time people tried to help they ended up making things worse, "What's the point of bringing me to a store and then not letting me choose what I want," she couldn't believe that Lena wouldn't trust her to pick out her own clothes.

She looked around the small changing area, it had a wall to floor mirror in front of a old wooden bench with slats on the back and bent iron for arms. The walls we're a deep maroon red and covered in theater posters, many from regional theaters but almost all had one or two major actors in the cast. There was scribbling in the margins on some of them. Callie read one, B thanks for the help, and then some signature below it which she couldn't make out.

She turned to the clothes. warily picked up a pair of pants and a blouse from the top of the pile

"Whatever," she muttered. And tried them on.

They fit fine, she could see her self wearing them, "Great that should make them happy," she actually said out loud.

She took them off, leaving them separate from the bunch. After gathering up the rest of the clothes in her arms, she walked out into the store.

"These are good," she said, showing to the woman the pants and blouse she had tried on, and dumping the others onto a chair near the rack.

Beatrice eyed the clothes heaped on the chair and then looked at Callie, " I guess you didn't like the other clothes?" Beatrice said.

Callie, "well I just tried these on," pointing to the ones she said she would take.

"The others?"

"I don't need them," Callie said her irritation showing.

The woman nodded and headed back to Lena and the cash register.

Lena looked at the clothes, and said, "That's it."

"Yeah, we're good," polite, trying to say no without making a scene, not wanting to upset anyone.

"Bea could you give Callie and I a second." She started to pull Callie aside to talk to her, trying to get the girl to say what was bothering her.

"Lena what's with you, my clothes are fine," said Callie angrily,

"Oh," she said trying to listen

" Lena, I'm not Mariana, or you. I can't use all that stuff. The last thing I need is a closet full of clothes." She shrugged "They'll just get lost when I move anyways, or the new home won't have room for them."

" This isn't _My Fair Lady._ I am not a street urchin _._ Are you embarrassed by Jude and me," she said.

Bea came over to the two women. Mothers and daughters arguing were nothing new to her, but kids normally didn't fight with Lena.

Lena looked at Bea "I'm sorry, Callie and I,"

"Oh Lena, c'mon, she's got some concerns." She said, and turned to Callie.

I agree with you Doll, your right, you don't need the clothes. They can be a hassle and they get ruined and worn out. And that doesn't mean you shouldn't buy them and use them. They are tools honey. They are a way of letting the world know who you are and how you want the world to treat you, and I suppose, to let people know how you are going to treat them.

Callie sighed in exasperation, "Who are we kidding, I'm a foster kid, OK. My life isn't like that. I have no money, and if I did I wouldn't spend it on clothes. I'm not performing at concert halls. Chances are I'll be gone from Anchor Beach in a week or two, living in another home where they wouldn't have room for this stuff. " She looked defiantly at Lena, " But I do know how to take care of myself, and my brother, we can't afford to live in a fantasy world.

Lena looked at her, Callie's face had gone white and her hands were balled up in fist.

"Callie, love. At 15 you can't afford everything you need, no kid can. So why would you expect us not to help with clothes. Parents help kids, Callie, that's the deal. It is what we're supposed to do."

"Well this isn't the way, Lena. It may seem right to you, but..." her voice trailed off .

She shook her head and turned away from the women. She went over to one of the racks, and stood staring at it trying not to think about the conversation, hating herself for arguing. She ran her hands mindlessly over the fabric stopping at one silky blouse with a printed ferris wheel pattern. The deep dark reds and yellows on the wheel caught her eye. She reached for the price sticker, looked at it, and started to put the blouse back. Lena came up to her slowly, looking over her back.

"That's pretty Callie, why don't you try it on."

"Not my style ," she said automatically

Lena turned over the tag, " We're here so you might as well get some things."

Callie stood in front of the rack not moving,

Bea standing off a bit said, "Oh that label's stuff doesn't work for a lot of shapes, but it may work for yours, so try it on. Go, who knows, maybe you have clothes luck." Something about the woman tone and words broke Callie's mood and she started moving toward the door.

As Callie walked away, Bea quietly turned to Lena, "Another foundling? darling."

Lena looked at her, "Don't start,"

"and a little boy too?"

Lena gave gave her a frustrated look, "Your just jealous."

"Clothes are a lot easier to take care of," Bea said half serious.

"But they don't love you back," trumped Lena.

Bea started to say something, but saw Lena looking off and smiling.

"Callie that is gorgeous,"

Bea turned ,

"Oh, doll, that blouse is nice, but you know, it's your smile that is money in the bank."

Callie, could feel her face reddening, but she liked the blouse too. She looked at the small wiry woman and Lena, their hands linked, forming a type of chain. How, she envied these people their connections, their connectedness, how easy they moved in and out of each others lives. She didn't see how she had anything to offer them, that she added anything to their full lives. She felt sure that it wouldn't last, it was too unequal and unstable. " What the hell," she thought recalling Lena's words on the beach, "If she can handle it, I can handle it too."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Her good mood continued in the car.

"How do you know Beatrice."

"I took a theater course from her in graduate school, I think she still teaches, an adjunct Professor. She handles all the costumes for Anchor Beach and for some regional theaters, she even does some film work occasionally. She knows me so well that I just stop by occasionally and ask if she has anything nice for me. She doesn't say it, but she does that for a few actresses. She jokes around a lot, but she can be pretty discrete"

"I wish you told me that Lena," said Callie, "I feel really stupid."

"Well a lot of people like to pick out their own stuff, and it probably wouldn't have made a difference."

"What do you mean."

"Callie you've been on your own for so long, you not sure when its OK to accept help. If I had said this woman who helps Oscar winning actresses get dresses is going to pick out your clothes, you probably wouldn't have entered the store."

"Thanks' Lena," said Callie sarcastically.

"Its true, Callie, it's not bad, your strong and resourceful, those are good things, but strengths can be weaknesses. Its OK love, really."

Callie bit her lip, uncomfortable with the conversation.

They drove on in silence.

"You know she really admires Stef."

"Really," said Lena, surprised that the woman had shared her opinions of Steph with the girl.

Callie didn't add any more until Lena said,

"I was spending a lot of time with Bea right before I met Steph."

Callie paused taking in what Lena said.

"Wow, and your still friends."

"When you find people who are kind and loving like Bea, you just can't let them slip away, even if it can be hard to keep them close. She was mad and a little hurt at first, but when you love someone...your mostly happy if they are happy. Life moves on, of course, and things change, but you still love them,"

Callie looked out the window at the city, the light streaming in from the west had a reddish glow, accenting the green of the azaleas and hyacinths clustered around the stucco buildings now a light pink in the evening sun. The color's were warm and intense, saturated with the red light. It was beautiful, "A frigging post card life," thought Callie, glumly.

Out of nowhere her eyes started tearing-up. These people their relationships were so intertwined and thick, it was hard to figure out. Everything came at her out of context and none of the pieces fit. Wrong, she corrected herself, the pieces fit perfectly , she just wasn't one of the pieces. She got that Lena and her friends wanted her to stand her ground, they welcomed and respected it, but you had to do it in a certain way. There was an invisible line which mustn't be crossed. She worried that she would somehow go too far, that there were rules she would never know. People say they'll accept anything, but it never works that way. She gnawed at her thumb, trying to resolve the conflicting emotions; admiring Lena's generosity and kindness but fearing, what ? Giving up control and putting herself at the mercy of these peoples whims. And what happens when they go away, what then? It scared her that even something simple like shopping ended up complicated, actually gut wrenching . "Courageous and afraid of nothing, she thought bitterly, except stores, writing journal's and my own shadow," it all seemed cruel, a bad joke

"but damn, it was a pretty blouse,"

"Whats that love."

She looked at Lena, startled out of her thoughts, and instinctively rubbed at the wetness around her eyes.

Lena turned briefly to the girl. To her, she looked as lost and despairing as she did when she saw her for the first time at the detention center. For a moment, she considered pulling off to the side of the road.

"Oh love" was all she could say.

"Callie swallowed , "the blouse."

"What about the blouse honey," said Lena.

"Its the nicest thing I own," she said quietly.


	3. Chapter 3

When they pulled into the driveway, there was still light left. Callie turned to Lena, "Thank you, uhm, I feeling tired, do you mind if I just go upstairs and lie down a bit."

Mariana was in the room, "well, what did you get?"

Callie didn't know whether to laugh or to cry.

"Mariana, its just clothes, Sorry, I got to pee," and she fled into the bathroom.

She stood in front of the mirror, putting water on her face to calm her self down and escaped into a shower.

Twenty minutes later, when Callie got done with the shower Mariana was still there, reading a book. Callie had rehearsed a light heart-ed version of the day and was prepared enough to rehash it with Mariana.

"So you want to see what, I got," she tried to make the offer sound real.

Mariana, looked up from her book, "Sure, if you want to show me?"

"Its not too exciting, just pants and some blouses."

Mariana look at the bags "You went to Bea's, she's wild."

"Did you know she and Lena dated," said Callie, feeling a little guilty at the pleasure she got from sharing gossip and being included in a circle of people who knew and cared about each other.

"No, really... I knew she was gay...So does she hate steph."

"No, seems to like her."

Callie spread the pants out on the bed, Mariana looked at them and said "Sensible."

"Mariana, its not like I have a lot of money."

"Yeah but Lena said she was paying Callie, have some fun."

"Well I did get this," and she brought out the printed blouse.

"Now that's cool," Mariana said.

"Put it on."

She modeled it spinning around and moving her shoulders, vamping, surprised at how happy she felt goofing around with Mariana.

"Oh that is nice...Did Bea pick it out?"

"No actually," Callie said proudly "I did."

"Well shopper, good on you." said Mariana, smiling.

Callie went over to the bags and started to fold them up. As she was finishing straightening them, she noticed a lump. She reached into the bag and pulled out a zircon encrusted tiara.

"Oh my god," Mariana laughed, "what fun a tiara, put it, on."

"What? No, I don't even know how it got there."

"You didn't buy it? Maybe it was Bea's idea of a joke, sort of a welcome to the Fosters gift."

Callie, didn't say anything.

"What" said Mariana.

Callie just stood in the center of the room, bemused, weighing it in her hand. She then quickly put it on her head, "So do I look like royalty."

Mariana came over and adjusted it so that it sat on the crown of her head.

"You have to wear that to dinner."

"Mariana! No." she said instinctively. "The boys would never let me get away with it."

"I'll handle Jesus, Jude would never do anything to hurt you. And Brandon, he's too sensitive, to pile on," said Mariana.

Callie sighed.

"Well, if you don't, I will," said Mariana.

"Ok i'll wear it, but you have to back me up."

The two girls went down stairs.

Lena had her back to the kitchen as she cut vegetables on the counter. Callie went up to her and gave her a hug, resting her head on the back of her shoulder.

Lena turned, saw the tiara, lifted her eyebrows a bit and smiled.

" Ah, Princess, there you are, you look wonderful. You know it was really nice spending time with you shopping, and talking. She kissed the top of her head. And gave her a smile, Now why don't you be a love, and cut the vegetables I washed."

She turned to Mariana. "Hey, I didn't forget you today. Look." She handed her a small bag, Mariana opened it and laughed.

"A tiara? We're having a Disney themed dinner?"

"Oh stop, just put it on, I wanted both my princesses around me tonight."

"If we're princesses, does that mean you're a Queen," challenged Mariana

" Of course, I am, "she said smiling.

"Where's your crown,?" said Mariana

Lena paused for a second, thinking about the walk on the beach, the chat in the car with Callie, about the many people who surrounded her and kept her safe in a circle of warmth and love. "You know, I think, this," opening her arms to the room "is my crown."

She stopped and she smiled ,pleased with her next thought... "and you're the jewels it it."


End file.
